King David was a shepherd long before he was a king. He was a good shepherd who guided, provided pasture and water to them, protected his flock, and led them as they needed. Many years after being a shepherd, he became a King – The King of Israel, anointed by the prophet after being chosen by God to lead His people.

One day, David looked to the sky and wrote “The Lord is MY shepherd”…. He saw that the Lord led him, protected him, provided for him… He understood that the analogy of God being a shepherd fit into his own experience.

Then Jesus comes hundreds of years later and states:

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10)

Who do you say God is?